Itinerary
- Day 1
Quito
You'll land in Quito and have the afternoon to wander through Old Town on your own if your flight gets in early. The area has around 30 churches scattered throughout, so there's plenty to see at your own pace. This evening, meet your local leader and the rest of your group at a welcome meeting, then head to dinner at a local restaurant where you'll try traditional Ecuadorian dishes like locro, a hearty potato soup, and quinoa prepared with local herbs and sauces.
Optional Activities
- Explore Old Town Quito
- Visit one or more of the 30 churches in Old Town
Landmarks Old Town Quito - Day 2
Quito to Isla Santa Cruz
Wake up very early, possibly around 4 am depending on your flight time, and grab a boxed breakfast before heading to Mariscal Sucre International Airport. When you arrive in the Galapagos, your naturalist guide will meet you, and from there you'll take a bus to the ferry across Itabaca Channel to Isla Santa Cruz. Next, head to Los Gemelos in the highlands where you can spot Darwin finches, woodpeckers and various other birds in the scalesia cloud forest. After that, stop at a rancho farm for a walk and lunch where giant tortoises sometimes appear in their natural habitat. By evening, you'll reach Puerto Ayora and board the Grande Daphne.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Boxed breakfast on the way to airport), Lunch (Lunch at rancho farm)
Included Activities
- Visit Los Gemelos in the highlands - birdwatching in scalesia cloud forest
- Walk at rancho farm and view giant tortoises
- Transfer to boat in Puerto Ayora
Landmarks Los Gemelos Mariscal Sucre International Airport Itabaca Channel Isla Santa Cruz 
- Day 3
Isla Floreana
Start your day learning about maritime history at Post Office Bay, which has the oldest postal system in the Americas and is still in use from when 18th-century whalers built it. You can leave a postcard if you'd like, then head out for your first snorkeling session. Stop at Punta Cormorant to see its distinctive olive-green beach made of olivine crystal, a glassy volcanic mineral, and look for sea lions, flamingos and seabirds. Later snorkel at Devil's Crown, the partially-submerged remains of a volcanic cone where rays, sharks, sea lions and turtles hang out.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Post Office Bay - walk and learn maritime history
- Post Office Bay - snorkel
- Punta Cormorant - walk and wildlife viewing
- Devil's Crown - snorkel
Landmarks Post Office Bay Punta Cormorant Devil's Crown Isla Floreana - Day 4
Isla Espanola
Begin with a hike on Isla Espanola, the southernmost Galapagos island and home to almost all of the estimated 24,000 waved albatrosses on Earth. If timing works out, you might see their elaborate courtship rituals. Hike through booby colonies along the rocky trails of Punta Suarez, where clifftop views let you watch frigate birds and albatrosses use the cliffs as their 'runway'. Later, walk along Bahia Gardner beach, carefully navigate around lounging sea lions, then snorkel among reef sharks, turtles and colorful fish like surgeonfish and angelfish.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Isla Espanola - Punta Suarez hike through booby colonies
- Bahia Gardner - beach walk
- Bahia Gardner - snorkel
Landmarks Isla Espanola Punta Suarez Bahia Gardner - Day 5
San Cristobal
Start with a cruise around Leon Dormido, a 150-meter basalt crater split by a narrow channel and surrounded by nesting seabirds and sea lions. Spend time snorkeling at Cerro Brujo or walking the beach to see sea lions. Then sail to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal island, where some travelers may depart. You'll have free time in town before visiting the San Cristobal Interpretation Centre, which covers the archipelago's history and geography. Later, relax on the beach or, if your guide can arrange it, head to the highlands to see giant tortoises in the wild, though this is optional and pricing varies.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock) - cruise
- Cerro Brujo - snorkel or beach walk
- San Cristobal Interpretation Centre - visit
Optional Activities
- Highlands visit to see giant tortoises in the wild (pricing depends on number of passengers)
- Relax on the beach
Landmarks Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock) Cerro Brujo Puerto Baquerizo Moreno San Cristobal Interpretation Centre 
- Day 6
Isla Santa Fe & Isla Plaza Sur
Visit Isla Santa Fe, home to sea lions, iguanas, hawks, mockingbirds, marine turtles, frigate birds and lava lizards. Walk along the coast through Opuntia forest, then snorkel to cool off while spotting schools of fish, rays and sea turtles. Next, check out Isla Plaza Sur, a small island where you'll hike and get close to sea lions, passing one of the Galapagos' largest land iguana populations. The southern cliffs are great for spotting tropicbirds, swallow-tailed gulls and gatherings of male sea lions. There may be an extra stop to restock provisions for the boat.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Isla Santa Fe - coast hike through Opuntia forest
- Isla Santa Fe - snorkel
- Isla Plaza Sur - walk
Landmarks Isla Santa Fe Isla Plaza Sur - Day 7
Isla Genovesa
Explore Isla Genovesa, the archipelago's northeastern outpost and a real treat for bird watchers with all three kinds of boobies, including the rare red-footed booby that nests here. Visit Bahia Darwin to see large breeding colonies with frigates, lava herons, swallow-tailed gulls, mockingbirds and vampire finches. Hike to see tide pools, sea lions and diamond stingrays. Climb the steep Prince Philip's Steps to reach the heart of the seabird rookeries with birds swirling overhead. Look for storm petrels, and note that Genovesa is the only place on Earth where these birds fly during the day. Cool off with snorkeling to spot manta rays, sharks, turtles, moray eels and various fish.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Isla Genovesa - Bahia Darwin walk
- Prince Philip's Steps - hike
- Isla Genovesa - snorkel
Landmarks Isla Genovesa Bahia Darwin Prince Philip's Steps - Day 8
Isla Santiago
Visit Bahia Sullivan on Santiago Island's eastern coast. Walk along Pahoehoe lava from an eruption in 1897, spotting marine iguanas, Sally Lightfoot crabs, sea lions, finches, turtles, sharks and penguins as your naturalist guide explains the geological history. Continue to Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill), one of the best places to see land iguanas. Walk to a brackish lagoon to see lagoon birds like stilts, pintail ducks, sandpipers, sanderlings and flamingos. The trail offers beautiful bay views and serves as a monitored nesting site. Look for Darwin's finches, Galapagos mockingbirds, endemic flycatchers and yellow warblers.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Isla Santiago - Sullivan Bay walk on Pahoehoe lava
- Isla Santiago - Sullivan Bay snorkeling
- Isla Santiago - Cerro Dragon walk
Optional Activities
- Isla Santiago - Cerro Dragon snorkeling or swimming
Landmarks Isla Santiago Bahia Sullivan Cerro Dragon 
- Day 9
Isla Santa Cruz
Explore the red mangrove wetland of Caleta Tortuga Negra by Zodiac, cruising through this peaceful cove to spot mating green turtles, golden cow-nose rays, eagle rays and Galapagos sharks. Head to Las Bachas, where soft sand made of decomposed coral is a nesting site for Pacific green turtles and marine iguanas. The rocks offer excellent snorkeling with Sally Lightfoot crabs. A saltwater lagoon near the beach hosts flamingos and whimbrels, and you might spot a great blue heron. See remnants of a floating pier from World War II US presence.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Caleta Tortuga Negra (Black Turtle Cove) - Zodiac ride
- Las Bachas - walk
- Las Bachas - snorkel
Landmarks Caleta Tortuga Negra (Black Turtle Cove) Las Bachas - Day 10
Isla Rabida & Isla Isabela
Sail from Las Bachas to Isla Rabida, known for its spectacular red sand beaches caused by high iron content. Follow the hiking trail to a lagoon, one of the best spots in the Galapagos to see flamingos. Keep an eye out for nesting pelicans, pintail ducks, marine iguanas and sea lions. Check out a vast Opuntia cactus forest, home to land iguanas, Galapagos hawks, mockingbirds, doves, finches and lava lizards. You can opt to snorkel to find sea stars, damsels, gobies and surgeonfish. In the afternoon, head to Albemarle on northeast Isla Isabela, a mangrove-covered bay with sea turtles, sea lions, penguins and flightless cormorants, another great snorkeling spot.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Isla Rabida - walk and snorkel from the beach
- Isla Isabela - Punta Albermarle snorkeling
Landmarks Isla Rabida Isla Isabela Punta Albermarle 
- Day 11
Isla Isabela
Sail overnight from Punta Albermarle around to the western shores of Isla Isabela. Wake up near Tagus Cove, where pirates and whalers once collected tortoises. Snorkel or check out the graffiti on the walls, with some dating back to 1836. Look for flightless cormorants, blue-footed boobies, various waterfowl and the world's most northerly penguins. Walk to a lookout point for views of north Isabela Island and Volcan Wolf. Later, visit Bahia Urbina on west Isabela to see diverse and colorful plant life. The short hike inland reveals giant tortoises among the bushes, plus land iguanas nesting in the trail, and you'll spot flycatchers, Darwin's finches and mockingbirds.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Tagus Cove - walk
- Tagus Cove - snorkel
- Isla Isabela - Urbina Bay walk
- Isla Isabela - Urbina Bay snorkel
Landmarks Tagus Cove Volcan Wolf Bahia Urbina - Day 12
Isla Fernandina
Visit Punta Espinosa, a narrow ledge of lava and sand extending from the base of La Cumbre volcano. Walk around to see lava cacti, marine iguanas, barking sea lions, tiny penguins and Sally Lightfoot crabs. Watch for the Galapagos hawk hunting in the treetops. Snorkel in clear waters to spot resident turtles and sea lions. In the afternoon, head to Punta Vicente Roca for a Zodiac ride to see abundant wildlife. It's one of the best snorkeling spots in the archipelago, taking you along cliffs and through two shallow underwater caves where you'll find primitive bullhead sharks, red-lipped batfish, frogfish, Pacific seahorses, endemic Camotillo, barracuda schools and snappers.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Isla Fernandina - Punta Espinosa walk
- Isla Fernandina - Punta Espinosa snorkel
- Isla Fernandina - Punta Vicente Roca Zodiac boat tour
- Isla Fernandina - Punta Vicente Roca snorkeling
Landmarks Isla Fernandina Punta Espinosa La Cumbre volcano Punta Vicente Roca - Day 13
Isla Santiago
Sail to Puerto Egas on the west side of James Bay, a black-sand beach on northwest Isla Santiago. Stroll along the beach among volcanic tuff formations, spotting native marine iguanas, pelicans, finches, mockingbirds, oystercatchers, Galapagos sea lions and fur seals. See tidal pools from ancient lava flows, home to sponges, snails, hermit crabs, barnacles and fish. You might even snorkel with a Galapagos fur seal. In the afternoon, travel to Caleta Bucanero on the northwest side of Santiago Island, named after the pirates and buccaneers who sheltered here. Snorkel and take a dinghy ride to spot blue-footed boobies, pelicans and nocturnal seagulls nesting in the cliffs.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Isla Santiago - Puerto Egas walk
- Isla Santiago - Puerto Egas snorkeling
- Isla Santiago - Caleta Bucanero Zodiac boat tour
- Isla Santiago - Caleta Bucanero snorkeling
Landmarks Puerto Egas James Bay Caleta Bucanero - Day 14
Isla Bartolome & Isla Sombrero Chino
Wake up on Bartolome Island, a volcanic landscape full of spatter cones and lava flows home to Galapagos penguins and lava lizards. Put on your walking shoes and climb 360 wooden steps to the summit for a view of Pinnacle Rock, one of the most photographed sights in the Galapagos. Hike to the top of this once-active volcano for views of Bahia Sullivan on nearby Isla Santiago. You might spot the Galapagos hawk, and there's a chance to snorkel among colorful marine life. In the afternoon, travel to Sombrero Chino on the southeast side of Santiago Island. With sandy beaches and volcanic landscape, hike and spot sea lions and penguins, or snorkel to find reef sharks and sea turtles.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Isla Bartolome - walk to summit
- Isla Bartolome - snorkeling
- Isla Sombrero Chino - walk
- Isla Sombrero Chino - snorkeling
Landmarks Isla Bartolome Pinnacle Rock Bahia Sullivan Isla Sombrero Chino - Day 15
Isla North Seymour & Isla Santa Cruz
Wake up at Isla North Seymour, one of the most visited Galapagos islands. Take a morning walk around the island spotting blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. Boobies and frigates share nesting areas, with blue-footed boobies nesting on the ground while frigate birds nest above in saltbushes. Look for land iguanas, marine iguanas, Galapagos sea lions and the endemic incense tree. Cool off with snorkeling to see various fish, white-tipped reef sharks, rays and sea lions. Later, travel to Isla Santa Cruz, the second largest Galapagos island. Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, which does vital conservation work and offers the best opportunities for close encounters with giant tortoises, including baby tortoises.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Isla North Seymour - walk
- Isla North Seymour - snorkeling
- Isla Santa Cruz - Charles Darwin Research Station visit
Landmarks Isla North Seymour Isla Santa Cruz Charles Darwin Research Station - Day 16
Isla Santa Cruz to Quito
Early start for your last morning on the islands as your mid-morning flight to the mainland departs soon. Visit the Santa Cruz Highlands first, traveling through the agricultural region and into misty forests where you can see dome-shaped giant tortoises in the wild. Look for different species of Darwin finches including the world-famous woodpecker and warbler finches. Say farewell to the archipelago and head to the airport for your mid-morning flight back to Quito, arriving around 4 pm. Take a transfer back to your hotel. You might want to head out with fellow travelers for dinner tonight to celebrate an incredible wildlife-filled adventure.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Isla Santa Cruz - Highlands visit
Optional Activities
- Dinner with fellow travelers in Quito
Landmarks Santa Cruz Highlands Isla Santa Cruz - Day 17
Quito
No activities are planned for today and your adventure finishes after breakfast. This is your final day of the tour, but your time in Quito doesn't have to end here. Consider staying extra days to discover more of the city. Speak with your booking agent ahead of time if you'd like help arranging extra accommodation.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Extend stay in Quito
- Explore Quito independently
Landmarks Quito
